Centrifugal gun



F. R. BARNES.

CENTRIFUGAL GUN.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE L2. 1917.

1,32735 1 8. Patented Jan. 6, 19 20.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1- INYENTOR ATTORNEY WITNESSES v F. R. BARNES.

CENTRIFUGAL GUN..

APPLICATION man JUNE 1'2. 1917.

.1 327,51 8. Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

L v v 1/ ll 1% m1 I 4 I F WITNESSES a 'jffgfialiyzgolq I I ATTORNEY F. R. BARNES.

.CENTRIFUGAL euu.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I2. I917.

1,327,51 8. Patented J an. 6, 1 920.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3- I INVENTOR WITNEISSES' mamas,

W BY

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK R, BARNES, 0F DUPREE, SOUTH DAKOTA.

CENTRIFUGAL GUN.

Application filed June 12, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK R. Binuvns, a cltiZen of the United States, residing at Dupree, in the county of Ziebach and State of South Dakota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Centrifugal Guns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ordnance, and more especially to catapults; and the object of the same is to produce a gun, or more properly a projector by whose rapid r0ta tion centrifugal force is enerated in the shells or projectiles carried, so that as soon as they are released they fly off at a tangent and no explosive is necessary.

Other minor objects will appear in the following detailed description of the preferred construction of my invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the gun or projector and a vertical section of the pit in which it is mounted, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the entire structure.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section through the hub and one spoke of the rotor, and Fig. 4 an enlarged cross section on the line 44 of Fig. 3, showing the tripper in dotted lines.

Fig. 5 is an elevation, and Fig.- 6 a sectional view in detail of the structure at the outer end of one spoke.

Fig. 7 is a detail giving a plan view of a portion of the rim of the rotor and the outer end of one spoke, and Fig. 8 is a detail of the inner end of the shell or projectile.

As an equivalent of a gun mount, I make use of a pit herein shown as an annular base 1 which may be ofcement or other suitable rigid structure, having around its interior near its upper end a channel 2 in which on ball-bearings 3 is mounted theperiphery of a circular platform 4. Upon the latter is fixed a gear ring 5 in mesh with a gear 6 turned in either direction to the desired degree by suitable mechanism such as the motor 7 shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The structure thus far described constitutes the support for the rotor, and the latter is mounted in an upright plane through a slot 8 within the platform as seen in Fig. 2. Obviously, when the platform is turned on its central axis through actuation of the motor in either direction, the plane through the center of the slot and the rotor will be adjusted, or in other words the projector Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

Serial No. 174,378.

as a whole is aimed in the proper direction. I have shown mechanical means for turning the platform to effect the same, but in a smaller size of machine this must be brought about by hand.

The rotor forming part of the projector is a wheel-like structure comprising a shaft 10 mounted in bearings 11 rising from the platform 4 at either side of its slot, and continued to and preferably directly connected with a motor 17 for rotating said shaft and the parts carried thereby. To this shaft between the bearings is fixed a hub 12 from which radiate tubular spokes 13 connected at their outer ends by an annular rim 14, the latter preferably being in two parts as seen in Fig. 7 connected with each other by cross bolts or rivets 15. Where the outer end of each spoke 13 connects with the rim 14, as seen in Fig. 6, it is preferably headed as at 16 and internally shouldered as at 18 for a purpose yet to appear; and the inner end of each spoke may be connected with the hub by headed plugs as indicated at 19 inFig. 3 or otherwise.

Within each spoke is rotatably mounted a shaft 20 whose outer end is reduced as at 21 to form. a shoulder resting closely against that numbered 18 and thereby reducing the tendency of said shaft to fly radially out of the spoke. The reduced extension 21 of the shaft projects through and beyond the rim 14 and is enlarged at its outer end as by being provided with four equally spaced lugs 22 as seen in Fig. 7. A rod or pin 23 projects radially from the shaft through a slot 24 in the tubular spoke and to one side of the rotor as seen in Fig. 3, and when the latter revolves and the tip of this pin strikes any object as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, it will be obvious that the pin will be moved as far as the slot 24 permits and the shaft 20 rotated or oscil lated within the tubular spoke 13thereby turning its extension or projection 21 for a purpose yet to appear.

The projectile indicated broadly by the numeral 30 may be a solid shot, a shell, or any kind of a missile or object whichit is desired to throw at the enemy; but in its base or inner end is an opening 31 which is prefera'bly circular in shape as seen in Fig. 8, excepting for inwardly projecting lugs or wings 32 which are so disposed that they leave spaces 33 between them to correspond with the lugs 22 on the head of the extension 21. As shown herein, I have provided four lugs and four spaces, and therefore when the latter are passed over the former and the pro jectile given one-eighth turn, the wings 32 come under the lugs 22 as seen in Fig. 6 and the projectile is locked to the rotary shaft. The inner end of said projectile is also provided with one or more pins 34 adapted to enter sockets 35 in the outer end of the head l6-the obvious function of this detail being to prevent the rotation of the projectile at a time when the shaft is rotated to disengage it. In other words, when the shaft is turned by its pin 23 striking something, the extension 21 and its lugs turn for oneeighth of a revolution, whereas the engagement of the pins 34 with the sockets 35 prevents the rotation of the projectile; therefore when the extension 21 turns so that its lugs come opposite the spaces or openings 33 between the wings 32 of the projectile, the latter may fly off from the rotor to which it is now no longer attached. It follows that if the rotor has been revolved at a high rate of speed by the motor 17 considerable centrifugal force has been set up and the projectile will fiy' off at a tangent with a speed and to a distance consistent with the number of rotations per second, and the shape and weight of the projectile, whereas the trajectory described by the projectile in its flight will depend upon the point on the rotor at which it is released as will be explained below. Therefore the range of this centrifugal gun may be said to depend on the conditions just named and which are under control of the officer in charge, whereas the sighting of the gun and the angle at which the projectile is fired must also be taken into consideration.

The improved firing mechanism for the gun finds its equivalent in the following details: A firing arm 40 is i'novably mounted at its inner end on the shaft 10 and carries near its outer end a bracket 41 having a spring bolt 42 adapted to be set into contact with an arch 43, or the notches or holes therein, as this arm is swung about the shaft 10 as a center. In Fig. 1 I have shown the arm as upright so that the projectiles will be thrown in the direction of the large arrow which is practically horizontal, but if this arm were moved to the right in that view the projectiles would be thrown off from the rotor at an upward inclination as will be clear. To set the firing arm, its spring bolt 4:2 is disengaged from the arch and the arm swung around the shaft 10 to the desired point, after which the bolt is reengaged with the arch. This arm carries a number of trippcrs corresponding with triggers or firing pins in guns having explosive charges; and, as shown herein, I

have disposed the several trippers 45 in an upright row along the length of the arm see Fig. 3. The slots 24 and pins 23 of the several spokes of the rotor will be correspondingly spaced from the center of rota tion as shown in Fig. 1., and it follows that when the trippers are projected so that their tips come into the path of the pins, the latter will be struck as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. i and turned to the rear to release the projectiles in the manner already described. In Fig. 3 I have diagrammatically indicated the trippers as solenoids, although the wiring therefor is omitted. The movable core for each solenoid is drawn normally to the rear by a spring t6 so that its tip 47 is out of the path of the pin 23 which is radially disposed to correspond with the radial disposition of the tripper in question; and when the solenoid is actuated by directing an electric current through it, the core is projected forward against the tension of the spring and the tip is struck by the pin in the manner already explained. While it is of course possible to project the trippers manually or mechanically, I prefer electrical operation therefor for obvious reasons. Assuming that the rotor has eight spokes as seen in Fig. 1; if every other tripper were projected, every other radial shaft 20 would be turned and therefore every other projectile discharged as soon as the rotor had made one revolution, and immediately thereafter or whenever desired the remaining trippers could be projected and the other four projectiles discharged, thus giving the oilicer in charge the chance perhaps to adjust the trajectory or the aim between the time that the first group of projectiles were fired and the second. Aside from the control of the firing mechanism proper, the setting of the firing arm controls the angle at which the projectiles are thrown off from the rotor and must of course enter into the calculations in the handling of this gun.

The apparatus is preferably provided with refinements which I have only diagrammatically indicated. There may be a brake on the main shaft 10 as indicated at B in Fig. 2, and this shaft should also have a speed indicator as indicated at S in Fig. 3. If the motive power is entirely electric, there will of course be wiring from a suitable source or sources of power to the various motors and other parts, and an appropriate key board so that the officer in charge will have every instrumentality under his immediate supervision.

The action of this entire gun is as follows: In order to load, the rotor is brought to rest and power cut off from the main motor 7. In order to load quickly there may be perhaps one or perhaps two ammunition'handlers above the platform, and one or two beneath it. As each spoke comes to the workman in the step-by-step rotation of the rotor, he turns the shaft 20 so that the pin 23 stands in the position dotted in Fig. 4:, then passes the hollow inner end of the projectile 30 over the headed outer end or extension 21 of said shaft and seats its pins 34 in the sockets 35, and then, moving the pin 23 to the full-lined position 24, he looks the projectile in place by the partial rotation of the shaft 20, whereas the projectile can not rotate on account of the engagement of its pins with the socket. If two (or perhaps four) projectiles were thus simultaneously attached at directly opposite points to the rim of the rotor, the latter would be balanced and could be turned another step for the successive attachment of the next projectiles in the same manner, and this could be continued until all of them were attached, or in other words, the device was loaded. These workmen now step aside, the proper man under orders of the oflicer actuates the motor 7 to turn the platform and aim the gun to secure direction, the firing arm 40 is adjusted to the rear of a strictly vertical position to the proper inclination to secure altitude, the motor 7 is started and the rotor revolves until the proper speed is indicated on the speedometer S, and then the trippers 45 are projected either simultaneously to fire a salvo or in groups, or perhaps individually, according to the requirements of the case. Immediately thereafter the brake B will be applied to bring the rotor to rest as soon as possible, and, having lost the weight of the several projectiles, this need not require a great length of time; the ammunition handlers then resume their work, and the operation is repeated.

A catapult gun of this character possesses many advantages. It is much cheaper to make than the high power guns now in use; it has greater life, because the high explosives used in such guns limit their effectiveness to their ability to withstand the shocks; my centrifugal gun has no recoil to be taken care of, it is noiseless, there is no danger of accidental explosion, it is useful for short or long ranges without in any way altering its mechanism; it is easy to manipulate, and there is no smoke; and in its smallest and simplest form it could handle six or eight projectiles, whereas in larger form and perhaps in duplex it would handle twentyfour or possibly forty-eight-all of which could be fired or discharged simultaneously or in groups at the will of the officer, before it was necessary to reload.

WVhat is claimed as new is 1. In a projector of the type described, the combination with an upright rotor whose shaft is journaled in bearings, and

means for rotating said shaft; of means for attaching projectiles to points on the periphery of the rotor, rock shafts extending from the respective means radially inward and carrying pins at different distances from the rotor shaft, and a series of manually operable trippers respectively spaced from the rotor shaft in line with the paths of said pins.

2. In a projector of the type described,

the combination with an upright rotor whose shaft is journaled in bearings, and a motor connected with said shaft; of means for attaching projectiles to points on the periphery of the rotor, rock shafts extendin from the respective means radially inward and carrying pins at different distances from the rotor shaft, and releasing mechanism for the several attaching means including a series of trippers respectively spaced from the rotor shaft in line with the paths of said pins and manually operable mechanism for selectively projecting said pins.

3. In a projector of the type described, the combination with a mount having a slot, a rotor journaled thereon and projecting through the slot, means for adjusting the mount horizontally to control the aiming of the device, and means for rotating the rotor at variable speeds to control the range of the device; of means for attaching projectiles to the rotor, manually operable trip mechanism for releasing said attaching means, and means for adjusting the trip mechanism to control the elevation at which the projectiles will be discharged.

4. The combination with an annular base, a circular platform rotatably mounted therein and having a slot, and mechanism for turning the platform at will; of bearings on the platform, a shaft mounted therein, a motor for driving the shaft, a rotor fast on the shaft and projecting through said slot, means for attaching projectiles to its periphery, and manually controlled mechanism for releasing said projectiles at selected points on the ascending side of the rotor, for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination with an annular base having an internal channel, a circular platform whose periphery is movably mounted in said channel and whose body has a slot, a gear ring on the platform, a gear meshing therewith, and a motor for turning the gear; of bearings on the latform, a rotor whose shaft is mounted therein, means for turning said shaft, means for attaching projectiles to the periphery of the rotor, and manually controlled mechanism for releasing said projectiles at selected points.

6. The combination with a horizontal shaft and means for rotating it, a hub fast thereon, tubular spokes radiating from the hub and internally shouldered near their outer ends, and a rim connecting said ends; of an oscillating shaft mounted in each spoke and having a shoulder contacting with. that named and an extension project ing beyond the outer end of the spoke and provided with spaced lateral lugs, a projectile having in its inner end an opening and within the mouth of the opening wings spaced to pass between said lugs, means for attaching said inner end to the rim so as to prevent rotation of the projectile, and means for turning said oscillating 7. The combination -*ith a rotor including a hub and tubular spokes; of an oscillating shaft mounted in each spoke and having an extension projecting beyond the outer end of the spoke and provided with a nonround head, a projectile having in its inner end an opening whose mouth is non-round to detachably engage said head, means at the inner end of the projectile adapted to prevent rotation of the projectile, a radial pin in the shaft, and a tripper adapted to be set in the path of the last named pin.

8. The combination with a rotor including a hub and tubular spokes whereof each has a slot in its side, an internal shoulder near its outer end, and a socket in its outer extremity; of an oscillatin shaft mounted in each spoke and having a shoulder contacting with that named and an extension projecting beyond the outer end of the spoke and provided with a non-round head, a projectile having in its inner end an opening whose mouth is non-round to detacl'iably engage said head, a pin at the inner end of the projectile adapted to enter said socket to prevent rotation of the projectile, a pin shafts selectively.

in the shaft projecting through said slot, and a tripper adapted to be set in the path of the last-named pin.

9. The combination with a rotor having tubular spokes and slots in their side walls at respectively different distances from the axis of rotation, a rock shaft mounted in each spoke and having a pin projecting through its slot, a firing arm alongside the rotor, a series of movable trippers carried thereby respectively opposite said pins, and means for selectively projecting the trippers into the paths of the pins; of an extension on eachshaft projecting beyond its spoke and having a non-round head, a projectile having an opening with a non-round mouth shaped to pass over said head, and means for connecting the projectile with the spoke so to prevent its rotation thereon but permit its radial movement when released by the turning of said head.

10. In a rotary gun, the combination with an upright rotor, a platform having bearings in which it is mounted, radial oscillatory shafts in the rotor having means at their outer ends for the attachment thereto of projectiles, and pins on the shafts at respectively different distances from the axis of the rotor; of a firing arm pivoted on the platform concentric with the axis of the rotor and standing alongside the same, an arch carried by the platform, mechanism on the arm for engaging said arch when the arm is set, and individually operable trippers in the arm respectively opposite the pins on the various shafts.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRANK R. BARNES. 

